Final Commons vote on ending long-gun registry

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Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Hoeppner was one of the 159 MPs who voted to eliminate the long-gun registry earlier today.

Coming before the House of Commons for the third and final vote, Bill C-19, the Eliminating the Long-Gun Registry Act, passed with a vote of 159 for and 130 against.

Bill C-19 will now undergo review in the Senate before being passed into law.

"Words cannot even begin to express how great it felt to stand up in the House today and vote to give justice to law-abiding gun owners," said Hoeppner who introduced a Private Member's Bill to repeal the registry in 2009. That bill came to a vote but was defeated and a new bill was introduced in October.

"We have heard from thousands of Canadians who support Bill C-19. These supporters send a clear message that the long-gun registry has penalized law-abiding Canadians long enough."

The Long-Gun Registry was legislation passed by the previous Liberal government that required all Canadians to register their unrestricted firearms.

"Criminals do not register their guns," said Hoeppner. "While our Government has been working on behalf of families to reduce crime, the long-gun registry does nothing to prevent criminals from targeting Canadians. What the registry does is criminalize lawful gun owners by enforcing penalties under the Criminal Code for legally owning firearms. Our Government and Conservative MPs have worked hard to advocate for this important victory for farmers, hunters and sport shooters across Canada" concluded Hoeppner.

Once passed, Bill C-19 will repeal the requirement to register non-restricted firearms (long-guns). It will also provide for the destruction of all records pertaining to the registration of long-guns in the Canadian Firearms Registry and under the control of the chief firearms officers.

Firearms owners who wish to acquire a firearm or ammunition would continue to be required to have their criminal record regarded by the issuer of the licence, pass a firearms safety course and comply with all firearms safe storage and transportation requirements. Those who own firearms will still require a valid firearms licence, and to register prohibited and restricted firearms, such as handguns.